Border Collie

The Border Collie dog breed is a herding/working dog breed. Of all the major working breeds in the world, the Border Collie Breed has perhaps stayed closest to its roots. Border Collies still herd livestock just as they were bred to do centuries ago. These collies are particularly well suited to work on challenging terrain for relatively long periods. Athletic and agile, even the most pampered Border Collie still needs the opportunity to get his or her paws dirty with a few challenging activities.

Here are the characteristics of the Border Collie breed as determined by the American Kennel Club's published breed standard.

Border Collie's Behavior

Recommended for: House pet, handling livestock, outdoors. Given the breed's nature, Border Collies are probably not well suited to apartment living.

Border Collies generally have boundless energy. As with many working dogs, they really crave challenging physical activities and need plenty of outdoor time. The Border Collie breed is also known for being affectionate with family. The collies may seem guarded with strangers. After all, their ancestors were bred for centuries to look after farm animals.

Remember that breed only provides a general clue as to any individual dog's actual behavior. Make sure to get to know dogs well before bringing them into your home.

Border Collie's Physical Characteristics

* Size: Males: 19 to 22 inches; females: 18 to 21 inches
* Coat: close-fitting, dense, all-weather coats
* Color: According to Wikipedia, the most common colors are red and white, red merle, blue merle, and tricolor (black/tan/white).
* Eyes: oval-shaped and brown
* Ears: medium-sized and far apart.
* Skull: flat and moderately wide
* Muzzle: slightly tapered
* Nose: color matches the primary body color
* Tail: moderately length

Border Collie's Origins and History

Here are some fact facts on the history of the Border Collie dog breed, based on information in Wikipedia.

Country/Region of Origin: United Kingdom

Original purpose: herding livestock

Name: The breed originated in the region of the border between England and Scotland.

Historical notes: Border Collies still work on farms all over the world herding livestock. There has been a relatively large controversy over the dogs being used as show dogs. Some people worry that if bred for appearance, the Border Collie's working instincts will be lost. The Border Collie breed has also been popular in the mass media, appearing in movies such as Babe, Bingo, and Down and Out in Beverly Hills. One famous variety of the Border Collie dog breed is the McNab.